DELAYED MATURATION OF THE INTERSTITIAL-CELLS OF CAJAL - A NEW DIAGNOSIS FOR TRANSIENT NEONATAL PSEUDOOBSTRUCTION - REPORT OF 2 CASES

The case histories of two neonates presenting with intestinal pseudoob struction are presented. One boy infant was premature and the girl inf ant was full term. Both patients needed a defunctioning ileostomy, and biopsy findings of the intestine in both patients showed a lack of in terstitial cells of Cajal (ICC). At the time of closure of the ileosto mies to restore intestinal continuity, repeat biopsy results showed a normal pattern of distribution of ICC, Delay in the development of ICC in the gastrointestinal tract may be a cause of intestinal pseudoobst ruction in the newborn, Copyright (C) 1998 by W.B. Saunders Company.